LSU law students will be able to see their future jobs in action today and Thursday when the Louisiana First Circuit Court of Appeal commutes to the Paul M. Hebert Law Center to hold public hearings.
“Attorneys representing clients with appeals pending before the First Circuit will be presenting oral arguments before a three-judge panel comprised of judges John T. Pettigrew, Page McClendon and Jewel E. ‘Duke’ Welch,” according to the First Circuit’s news release.
The proceedings are free and open to the public.
The release said Chief Judge Burrell J. Carter of the First Circuit is also extending an invitation to government, criminal justice and civics classes.
“They do not handpick cases for these days. They just move the court to the law school,” said Susan Kalmbach, administrative counsel for the First Circuit Court. “It is a true picture of what would happen on a regular day at our courthouse.”
This is an annual event for the First Circuit, which extends jurisdiction over 16 parishes in southeastern Louisiana.
“As part of our educational outreach program, the riding circuit brings the judicial system to individuals who may not live in the court’s primary residence of Baton Rouge,” Kalmbach said.
Kalmbach said the riding circuit has traveled to Covington and Slidell in past years.
“We want to educate the public about the judicial system, and we want to make ourselves available to the public,” she said.
Valerie Willard, spokeswoman for the Louisiana Supreme Court, said the Louisiana Supreme Court originated as a riding circuit and has encouraged the circuit courts to maintain that historical significance and to continue to reach out to the public by traveling outside of their local courthouses.
“It is a great way to reach out to your community and to your area,” Willard said. “The Louisiana Supreme Court has done this numerous times over the past decade. It is about education.”
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Contact Lea Ciskowski at [email protected]